Urbina Bay & Punta Moreno
We had a wonderful rest last night while we were at anchor off the coast of Fernandina. Our Captain took us then to the most active volcanic place in the Galápagos: Southern Isabela Island! So we woke up to one of the most beautiful avenues of volcanoes in the world. Right and left we were surrounded by the tallest structures in Galápagos: Alcedo, Sierra Negra and Sierra Azul volcanoes.
After breakfast, we disembarked on a beach full of turtle nests and sun. Then we headed towards the coral fields that uplifted here in 1954. They used to be underwater and now lay exposed to the burning sun rays. The sudden vertical move took place for miles of coast and changed it for ever. We saw sea creature’s remains such as shells and other bits and pieces all over the burned rocks!
A huge giant tortoise along the way caught our attention as they are seldom seen. After the hike we deserved a deep swim in the super warm waters off the beach.
The afternoon had a short sailing to Punta Moreno, one of the most beautiful lava fields of the coast of Isabela. As we disembarked on the flat black lava area, we saw nothing but Death and Desolation...then, little by little, Galápagos daisies, cactus and even grasses showed up; the finches, brackish water lagoons and flamingos also displayed in front of us. Our return was eased by Zodiac rides along the ghostly coasts… what a day in paradise!
